1) Agree to plan last-minute engagement blowout for spoiled Mafia princess before you realize her choice of caterer is Nick Lupo, a despicably gorgeous young chef with a hot new restaurant in town, a reality TV show victory, and a romantic past with you—one that did not end well.

2) Strike a deal with Nick in which you agree to spend a weekend with him in exchange for his services, under the strict conditions there will be no talking about the past, no second chances, and definitely no sex.

3) Violate all three conditions within 24 hours and spend two glorious days remembering what made you fall for the sexy, egotistical bastard in the first place, and why it hurt so much when he broke your heart.

Add one road trip, plenty of good scotch, and endless spoonfuls of chocolate cake batter drizzled over your body and licked off inch by oh-my-God-yes-right-there inch, then just admit it.

Holy shit, I might actually pull this off. A smile
tugged at the corners of my mouth as I noted the vendor names on the contract.
No, not might.I would absolutely
pull this off by myself, and it would be fabulous. Huge without being
impersonal. Fun without being tacky. Elegant without being stuffy. Mia would be
proud of me, we were bound to get good buzz if this reality show took off, and
with the estimated total cost—at which Angelina didn’t even bat a fake
eyelash—I’d make enough money to put ten percent down on the house. I could
make an offer next week, even.

See? Stop worrying. This was all meant to happen.
It’s fate.

And then.

“Oh!
I almost forgot. I want that Italian chef, Nick Lupo, to do burgers at
midnight,” announced Angelina. “Right after the fireworks.”

The floor dropped a few feet, or maybe it was my
stomach. I gripped the edge of my desk. “What did you say?”

“I want that Italian guy. You know, the one who
won first place on that reality show about hot chefs last year, Lick My Plate?
He’s from here and he has a restaurant downtown called The Burger Bar. He’s
there like every night. I saw him in there this week.”

“Yes, I know who he is. I just…” Haven’t seen
him since he snuck out of our hotel room in Vegas seven years ago. “…think
he might be difficult to get.”

Angelina blinked at me. “Why?”

“Well, because he’s, um…” My ex. Famous
now. The best sex I ever had and the worst mistake I ever made. There were
any number of ways I could’ve finished that sentence, but finally I went with
“probably not available.”

“Uh, I don’t think Nick Lupo does private
parties.” I hadn’t said his name out loud in years, and the sound of it, the
feel of it on my lips brought back powerful memories—the taste of whiskey and
apple pie. A warm, muscular body moving over mine. The crunch of leaves beneath
my back. A wide, lush mouth closing over my breast as he filled the hollow ache
inside me—

I crossed my legs and squeezed my thighs
together. Don’t.

“This isn’t just any private party. Tell him who
it’s for,” said Angelina, like duh.“Tell him who my father is. He’ll do it.”

My insides churned. “I guess I could try.”

“Do it. Or I’ll get someone who can.” Her loud
voice was razor sharp, and I suddenly got the feeling God wasn’t the one who’d
sent her.

Fuck.

“I’ll do it.” My throat was bone dry, my words
barely audible.

“What?”

“I’ll do it,” I said more forcefully. “I’ll get
him.”

“You promise?” Angelina sniffed.

“Yes.”

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

We finished up, and after she left, I dropped my
head onto my desk and banged my forehead against the wood until it ached.

Nick Lupo. I had to face Nick Lupo, after all
this time.

Even Mia didn’t know the complete truth about my
most impulsive decision ever. I’d been too ashamed to tell her.

When he’d left me sleeping in that room at the
Bellagio seven years ago, I’d been wearing a wedding ring. That he’d put on my
finger the night before.

He’d left his ring on the nightstand along with a
note.

This was a mistake.

Melanie Harlow likes her martinis dry, her lipstick red, and her history with the naughty bits left in. She lifts her glass to readers and writers from her home near Detroit, MI.

I loved
writing the scene where they see each other again for the first time after
seven years. Their attraction and chemistry was still there, despite their
rocky past. My least favorite scene was probably the gut-wrenching scene in the
lake where she finally asks him for the truth about why he left her. Forked is
a sexy romantic comedy so the tone is mostly light throughout, but for that
scene, I had to get a little angsty.

What’s your guilty pleasure?

Drinking
wine and eating chocolate in bed while reading sexy novels. I have spilled a
lot of red wine doing this because I can’t tear my eyes from my book as I reach
for the glass!

If you weren’t an author what would you be doing right
now?

Working
on choreography—I’m also a dance teacher and studio manager.

What do you consider
your greatest achievement?

Managing
to publish novels and maintain a pretty full-time job while keeping my kids fed
and watered. Some days, it is utterly overwhelming.

If you could meet
anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

Hmm. How
about young Gene Kelly? I’d like to dance with him.

What is your go to
snack food when writing?

COFFEE.
That’s it.

If you could sit down
face to face with any of your characters, who would you choose and why?

Joey
from the Speak Easy series. I’d like to sit on his lap.

What are the top 3
things on your bucket list?

Visit
Egypt (also Morocco and Greece—is that cheating?)

Take
Italian classes.

See my
books in a book store.

If you could live
anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

I love
where I live, but I often fantasize about having a cabin in the country all to
myself. But it would have to be near a lake, because I love lakes. I’m outgoing
in many ways, but I really enjoy solitude as well. I also think a little
apartment on the Left Bank would be lovely!

Favorite Word and
Least Favorite Word?

I often
joke that my favorite word is yes because I have trouble saying no to people.
But I word I really love is cathedral. I just think it’s beautiful. Least
favorite…honestly, probably cunt when used as a name-calling insult.

Biggest fear?

Failing
as a parent.

Deepest regret?

Waiting
so long to start writing seriously.

Favorite memory?

Wow,
that’s a hard one, but I have really wonderful childhood memories of visiting
my grandparents’ cottage on Lake Huron with my family.

Worst flaw?

Impatience.
But I kick myself for being too trusting/naive a lot too.

Most annoying pet
peeve?

When I’m
trying to write and people stop by unannounced. Or when I’m writing a love
scene and I hear “MOMMMMMMMYYYYYYYY!”

If you could change
one thing about yoursef…what would it be?

Oh dear.
Well, I wish I were a better person all the way around, but in terms of being
an author, I wish I wrote faster.

Either/Or
Questions:

Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate

Coco or Nick? Nick

Warm or Cold? Warm

Early Bird or Night
Owl? Early Bird

Pain or Pleasure? Pleasure

Outdoor or Indoor?
GAH! If I must
choose, indoor.

Blondes or Brunettes? Brunettes

Ketchup or Mustard? Mustard

Coffee or Cocktail? MY BRAIN JUST EXPLODED.
CANNOT CHOOSE.

Texting or Calling? Texting

Title:Frenched (Frenched Series Book #1)

Author:Melanie Harlow

Genre:NA, Contemporary Romance, Humor

When
Tucker Branch, playboy heir to Branch Bolt and Screw, screws and bolts a
week before their wedding, Mia Devine wants nothing more than to crawl
under her newly monogrammed sheets and plan a funeral for her dignity.
But her friends convince her that bitter tastes better when it’s drowned
in Bordeaux, so Mia grits her teeth and packs her bags, determined to
make the best of her luxurious Paris honeymoon—alone.

She never planned on meeting Lucas Fournier.

The
easygoing bartender’s scruffy good looks and less-than-sympathetic ear
annoy her at first, but when she takes him up on his offer to show her
around the city, she discovers that the romance of Paris isn’t just a
myth.

Nor is the simultaneous O.

The last thing Mia needs
is another doomed love affair, but since she only has a week, she
figures she might as well enjoy la vie en O with Lucas while she can.
But each day—and night—with Lucas is better than the last, and suddenly
her heart is telling her this is more than a rebound fling.

Mia
Devine fell hard for Lucas Fournier after their magical week in Paris.
But eight months later, the free-spirited half-French musician still
hasn't made any promises about their future. And as magnifique as
long-distance phone sex is, nothing compares to the real thing.

Fed
up with stolen weekends and lonely nights, Mia flies to New York armed
with a list of reasons why they should take the next step, but an
unexpected guest in Lucas's apartment derails her plans. He’s been
keeping secrets--worse, he claims he's happy with the way things are.

The
Frenched series was inspired by two things—a sense of place (the way where you
are influences what you do) and the idea of unexpected
romantic encounters. I liked the idea of writing stories where the setting,
whether it was Paris with all its amorous allure for Mia in Frenched, or the
farm with all its memories for Coco in Forked, became almost like another
character in the story. If Mia and Lucas had met somewhere else, or if Coco and
Nick hadn’t gone back to a place where they’d been so in love, would they have
acted differently? This also ties in to a sort of escapist idea—that feeling
that when you’re out of your normal environment (like being on vacation), you
don’t act like yourself…you indulge in behaviors you might otherwise dismiss as
folly. And who doesn’t want to fly to Paris and meet a man like Lucas???

Top 5 things you
didn’t know about becoming a published author:

I
didn’t know ANYTHING about becoming a published author. But here goes.

1)Writing a book isn’t
enough—you must be a one-person CEO and manage it all: the marketing, design,
finances, communications, public relations. It’s a whirlwind.

4)Reading your reviews will
make you feel like a goddess one day and pond scum the next.

5)It is incredible to hear
from readers who connected with your characters, loved the story, and
understood what you were trying to do. You will want to hug them all and weep
with gratitude on their shoulders.

5
Reasons to love my main characters:

Oh goodness. OK, I’m going to quote from a review here,
because I love what this reader said about my female characters: they are
“relatable, feisty, intelligent, independent, focused.” They are also flawed
but fiercely loyal and loving. And my favorite thing about them is the way they
try to maintain a sense of humor, even when things get tough.

As for my male characters…they’re not perfect, but they’re
hot. They treat the women they love right (usually). They have dirty mouths and
talented tongues and hard bodies, and they are very, very good in bed.

5 facts about the
Frenched Series:

1)The original title of
Frenched was French Kiss.

2)Like Lucas, I adore the
Musee Rodin in Paris and find it terribly romantic. There is one photograph in
Frenched, and it’s a photo I took when my husband and I were last there…but no,
we did not have the conversation Mia and Lucas have as they admire it!

3)As Nick Lupo (from Forked)
took shape in my mind, he started to remind me a little of another character
I’d written in the Speak Easy series…so I tied the two together, and I adore
when readers make the connection and let me know about it!

4)If you want to drink like
Mia and Lucas, treat yourself to a bottle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape—it’s my
favorite French wine. If you want to drink like Coco and Nick, visit Detroit’s
Corktown and order the tasting flight at Two James Distillery. I’ll meet you
there!

5)The third book in the
series, tentatively titled FLOORED, tells Erin’s story and will be out in
February of 2015.

How do you make
your characters believable?

I try
to give my characters relatable habits or worries or problems, like Mia’s
compulsive list-making or Coco’s impulsive behavior. The Frenched series is
romantic comedy, and it’s escapist, but I wanted it to feel real. My favorite
books are the ones with characters that could live next door to me, work with
me, drink with me, be my friends. I hope this series feels like that for my
readers.

Authors you admire:

Oooooh,
so many. In the contemporary romance category, I admire the discipline and
intuition of Laurelin Paige. The effortless charm of Lauren Blakely. The wit of
Alice Clayton. The audacity of M. Pierce. The tenacity of Jasinda Wilder. In
other categories, I LOVED two books I read by Liane Moriarty this summer, BIG
LITTLE LIES and HER HUSBAND’S SECRET. I think her writing is smart, funny, and
elegant. The book I can’t stop thinking about this year is THE SENSE OF AN
ENDING, by Julian Barnes.

Five things you
wouldn’t know about Melanie Harlow.

1)Melanie isn’t my real name…but
it’s close.

2)I like to sleep on my
stomach with one leg up.

3)I am a pretty good cook but
not a baker.

4)Like Mia in Frenched, I am a
list-maker and I love maps.

5)Like Coco in Forked, I
believe in fate. Also, I have never mowed a lawn!

Recipes Guest Blog Post

Since Nick Lupo is a
chef and Coco Thomas is a girl with a healthy appetite, food plays an essential
part in FORKED. If you love to eat (and drink) like me, check out these recipes
inspired by the story! Huge thanks to my bestie and fellow author Kayti McGee
for creating these delicious concoctions!

Whiskey Burgers

Nick Lupo runs The Burger Bar, where he serves
gourmet burgers. The Whiskey burger is an ode to Coco’s love of bacon and their
shared passion for whiskey.

½ lb
80/20 ground beef

4 slices
of bacon.

1 clove
garlic, minced

¼ cup beer

¼ cup
whiskey

1 block
white cheddar, grated

Kettle
BBQ chips

2 brioche buns

Tomato, lettuce, pickles

Preheat
a skillet on high, cook bacon. Divide meat in half, form into patties. Coat
with salt and pepper. Cook patties in the bacon grease 3 minutes per side for
medium.

In the
meantime, heat beer, whiskey, and garlic over high heat until boiling. Whisk in
cheese a handful at a time.

Serve
burgers with bacon, a generous spoonful of whiskey cheese sauce and a handful
of BBQ chips on top, veggies optional.

Coco
Cupcakes

Nick
makes chocolate cake for his Noni’s birthday, and Coco, um, helps. Since his
nickname for her is cupcake, here’s a version for her. The cinnamon and the labne
are nods to her Lebanese heritage. Feel free to swap the labne for sour cream.
The cherry in the frosting is another nod to Coco…since Nick took hers. If you
love frosting, double the recipe.

½ c
cocoa

½ c hot coffee
(cinnamon coffee if you’re
overachieving)

½ c
butter

1 ¼ c sugar

½ tsp
sea salt

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 ½ c flour

1 tsp
baking powder

½ c labne

Preheat
the oven to 350, and line a tin for12 cupcakes. Dissolve the cocoa in the
coffee. Cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs, and vanilla. Slowly mix the
remaining ingredients in, with the cocoa mixture last. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Cool.

FROSTING!

1 egg
white

¾ c sugar

2 Tb cold water

3 T maraschino cherry syrup

1 tsp
corn syrup

½ tsp vanilla

Beat all
ingredients like hell over a double boiler for exactly 7 minutes. Top each cupcake
with a dab of frosting and a cherry.

2016 Reading Challenge

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